1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to blind docking of fluidic conduits between a two components.
2. Background of the Related Art
Heat-generating computer system components, such as processors, are generally supported within a chassis, such as a server rack, to provide efficient storage and accessibility for component installation and removal. In high heat-density systems, a coolant such as water may be provided from a coolant source and flow through a supply conduit to one or more heat exchangers disposed within or adjacent to the chassis. The coolant may be continuously warmed at the one or more heat exchangers, and the warmed coolant may be returned to the coolant source through a return conduit or released without recirculation. Where warmed coolant is returned to the coolant source, the returned coolant may be cooled by a regenerator, such as a cooler or refrigeration system, so that the regenerated coolant may be circulated back through the supply conduit. The supply conduit and the release or return conduit are portions of a fluidic circuit.
In conventional fluidic circuits for coolant systems, the supply conduit and the release or return conduit may include fluidic couplings, such as mating threaded fittings or mating flanges, that facilitate the connection of fluid conduits that deliver the fluid to one or more heat exchangers in the chassis. Threaded and flanged fittings generally take a large amount of time and effort to make up (connect) and break out (disconnect). An alternate type of coupling is a quick disconnect coupling comprising a male insert that is releasably receivable in a female socket to sealably and fluidically couple a first portion of a conduit connected to the male insert to a second portion of a conduit connected to the female socket. Used in this manner, a first quick disconnect coupling may be used to connect a fluid coolant supply conduit to an inlet conduit to one or more heat exchangers within a chassis and a second quick disconnect coupling may be used to connect a fluid coolant release/return conduit to an outlet conduit from the one or more heat exchangers. In this manner, first and second quick disconnect couplings may be used to quickly provide a fluidic circuit to remove heat produced by heat-generating electronic components within the chassis.
Although connecting and disconnecting quick disconnect couplings requires less time than conventional fluidic couplings, a substantial amount of effort and time may still be required to make up a pair of quick disconnect couplings to enable the fluidic circuit, especially if the quick disconnect couplings are disposed in a location that is difficult to access such as at the back of a computer chassis. For example, a user may have to align a first male insert with a first female socket, insert the first male insert into the first female socket, secure the quick disconnect coupling by sliding a release collar on the female socket to a docked position, and then repeat the process on a second conduit to complete the fluid circuit.